Bremerton Chicken Legality Almost Reality

Chickens may become legal in Bremerton, though perhaps temporarily, on Wednesday.

The Bremerton City Council is expected to vote on a measure that would allow individuals to own up to four hens on a single property.

The vote comes after years of lobbying that crescendoed this year. Residents, following the council’s earlier inability to get an ordinance on the council’s full agenda, launched and relaunched an initiative campaign to decriminalize the practice of raising hens.

Petition gatherers never really wanted the measure to come to a vote of residents, however, arguing that a council-driven ordinance is easier to change. A citizen-led measure would have required another citizen vote for any changes.

Whether the proposed ordinance comes with an 18-month sunset clause will depend on an amendment council members also will consider.

Roy Runyon, the council’s chief proponent of the pro-chicken ordinance, said he sees a sunset clause as “collective punishment” to protect against a few potential bad actors.

“Anyone who has been in boot camp knows what collective punishment is,” Runyon said. “I don’t think we have to treat our citizens as if they’re in boot camp.”

City councilman Jim McDonald said a sunset clause would motivate the council to make adjustments to any parts of the full ordinance that are not working and may not prove to snuff out the practice in the end.

The fact that Bremerton’s existing prohibition against chicken raising hasn’t prevented the practice for some people was not lost on the council Wednesday during a study session.

Cecil McConnell asked why there are setback requirements for coops, but not for the use of chicken excrement in fertilizer.

Runyon said that would be handled in a part of the ordinance that deals with smell. He said responsible chicken owners will be willing to make sure the fertilizer doesn’t cause problems for neighbors.

McConnell cast doubt on that by referring to those who have chickens currently.

“Those who are already in violation of the ordinance are, I would say, not responsible people,” he said.

Roosters are prohibited under the ordinance, as is letting hens into the house. Chicks are welcome. The law calls for rules on storing chicken food, henhouse size and placement. Residents will not be allowed to slaughter their birds on their own properties and will have to buy a license to have them.

The first initiative effort had to be scrapped when proponents learned the petition was missing a space for signers to indicate when they inked their support.

Should the council approve the ordinance, the new law would become effective 10 days later.